With the boom of local searches on the Internet and the increase of Google My Business listings, Google partially lost control of what was and wasn’t being published on Google Maps. From here came the idea of creating a kind of power users and moderators called: Google Local Guides.
With them, the intention from thebeginning was to shed truth to the information offered on Google Maps so userswho browse the app could find real reviews from trustworthy people.
This is why, the idea of creating apremium community (although it doesn’t cost anything to belong to it) wasdeveloped. This community would be in charge of shedding light on Google MyBusiness listings and providing verified information about them.
Logically, people don’t usually offertheir time for free. Thus, initially, this program encouraged users to writereviews by offering small Google products for free in exchange, such as,storage in the cloud or music streaming services at no cost.
From the moment that the Local Guides program started in 2015, the number of Local Guides has surpassed 120 million users. A great success.
What’s Google Local Guides?
Google Local Guides is a programdeveloped by Google to create a community of power users that will be in chargeof verifying that the information offered by Google Maps is correct and also,contributing more valuable information.
That is, these users will be in charge ofvaluing each local business through their reviews. Their opinions will be moreimportant than the rest of users.
This system helped Google to filter thoseusers that made spam on Google My Business listings or those who only wrotenegative reviews on their competitors’ profile.
It also helped Google to discover newinteresting places for the public even if they weren’t a local businessthemselves, such as, special settings or places of interests in cities, etc.
All this information offered by users forfree makes it possible that Google can with almost complete certainty show thebest places to eat in a city, the best monuments to visit in any specific placeor the hidden jewels to avoid massive tourism, etc.
This has made possible that in industrieslike tourism, Featured Snippets are displayed on Google’s results asinformation directly published by users which helps other users in the samesituation.
How do you become a Local Guide?
In order to become a Google Local Guide,you must have a Google account and join the program by clicking the followinglink:
▶️ https://maps.google.com/localguides/signup
Once you have signed up, you can startwriting as many authentic reviews as you want to climb higher levels within theLocal Guide program.
How many points you need for each level
As you publish reviews, upload photos oflocal businesses, add places on Google Maps, verify information, etc., you willearn points to reach higher levels.
From level 4 you will earn your firstGoogle Local Guide Badge which recognize you as trustworthy user for thesystem:
- Level 1:0 points
- Level 2: 15 points
- Level 3: 75 points
- Level 4: 250 points + badge
- Level 5: 500 points + badge
- Level 6: 1,500 points + badge
- Level 7: 5,000 points + badge
- Level 8: 15,000 points + badge
- Level 9: 50,000 points + badge
- Level 10: 100,000 points + badge
How many points can you earn per action?
Every time you take an action, you willincrease the number of points on your Local Guide profile. Logically, the moreeffort your action requires, the more points you will receive:
- Each Review: 10 points
- Review with more than 200characters: 10 bonus points per review
- Rating a place: 1 point
- Upload a photo to a Google Mapslisting: 5 points
- Photo tags: 3 points
- Upload a photo to a Google Mapslisting: 7 points
- Reply to a review: 1 point
- Respond to Q&As: 3 points
- Edit a listing: 5 points
- Add a new place on Google Maps: 15points
- Add a new road on Google Maps: 15points
- Fact checked: 1 point
- Eligible list published: 10 points
- Description (in list): 5 points
What is Google Local Guide for?
Being a Google Local Guide brings someadvantages such as:
- Your opinions will be more valuable than other users who hardly participate. This is important when you report comments and fake or negative reviews. A Local Guide can report spam and Google will probably accept the request and delete the comment. This is why it’s important to be a Local Guide for local SEO.
- You will contribute the community and have access to Beta phases developed on Google Maps. This is crucial to be up to date about coming changes on Google Maps.
- You will access special discounts only available to participants of the program.
- You will be invited to sponsored events where you can talk to other participants of the program and meet people.
Conclusions
As you have probably realized, being a Google Local Guide is very important if you own a local business since you will have more power to report fake comments from competitors or spam on your Google My Business listing.
This is why, being part of this programwill always be beneficial, at leastuntil you reach the level 4 where you will get a badge that identifies you as areliable Local Guide.
Reaching a Level 4 is quite easy just byinteracting with the platform a little bit. It will always be a plus to keep this profile just for havingearly access to new features on Google Maps which importance is increasing eachyear.
If youwant more information about Google My Business
Borja Aranda , 13 February 2020
